Decisions
by firstcatfish
Summary: What was going through Murdock's head in Family Reunion before he decided to call Stockwell?


Decisions

Rating: G  
Summary: What was going through Murdock's head in Family Reunion before he decided to call Stockwell?

Disclaimer: I don't own them and all that.  
Comments: This is an episode spoiler for Family Reunion, so consider yourself warned. All comments and criticism are welcome.

The morning was still and peaceful. Birds whistled back and forth throughout the trees near the solitary cabin in Osceola National Park, Florida. Murdock took a deep breath of the fresh morning air as he stepped out of the patio door. Running a hand through his uncombed hair, he rubbed his tired eyes and sighed.

What was he going to do?

He had spent a sleepless night tossing turning; never-ending scenarios and possible consequences of his actions running through his head. To tell or not to tell, that was the question. He gave a bleak laugh at the faint echo of Shakespeare in his head.

Walking to the small bench next to the lake, he spotted BA on guard duty and gave him a small wave. Picking up a small handful of pebbles, he sat down on the bench and began sifting the rocks back and forth in his hands. Tossing one of the stones vehemently into the lake, he watched as it hit the surface with a splash and sank from sight.

As if the ripples on the surface of the water had summoned it, AJ Bancroft's face materialized in his mind's eye, begging him not to tell his best friend a secret that could change his life – give him his heart's desire or destroy his dearest dreams.

"A last request," Murdock muttered bitterly, his voice disturbing a squirrel at the base of a tree a few feet away. The small creature chittered madly at him before dashing up the tree. It had been 14 hours since his confrontation with AJ, and the man had shown no indication of telling Face...his son...the truth.

The truth. If it was the truth. He had nothing but the picture and the word of an admitted criminal to say it was the truth. Bancroft had lied many times before and doubtless would again. Who was to say he wasn't lying about this too?

Murdock got up and walked to the edge of the water. Choosing a round flat stone, he skipped it across the water. No, Bancroft was not lying about this. Years in a psychiatric hospital had made the captain good at reading people. Something in the old man's voice and body language convinced him that AJ truly believed Face was his son.

But what if he was wrong. Bancroft had admitted the fact that he was unable to locate his son's mother, Samantha. How did he know that the blond-haired, blue-eyed child he had discovered at the orphanage was truly his son? What if he was wrong?

Face would be hurt again. Murdock knew that there was nothing his friend wanted more than to know who he was and where he had come from. He deserved to know without a doubt whether or not this was the truth.

Murdock looked bleakly out over the water's surface. And it was up to him to get that proof. Looking back at the cabin, his eyes found the window of the room where AJ Bancroft rested. It was still early, but there was a light on, indicating that the occupant was up already.

He should go in there and confront the man again; find out why he was so sure Face was his son. Even as the thought entered his mind, he was shaking his head. Even if Bancroft was willing to tell him, he needed something more. He needed an outside source who could verify the truth of what Bancroft could tell him.

Unbidden, a thought began to rise in his mind. There was someone who might know. He had the most extensive information on the Team of anyone alive. Even if he didn't know the truth, he had the resources to find out.

If he could be trusted. That was the tricky part. Nevertheless, if he played his cards right, Murdock was sure that a simple phone call would be enough to convince the slippery general that it was in his best interests to give him that information. A slow grin found its way to the captain's face, a hint of deadliness in his eyes. Yes, Stockwell WOULD tell him the truth.

His mind made up, Murdock waited until BA turned his back before slipping silently around the side of the cabin toward the van and the phone within.

The End


End file.
